Faith Forum: Is cremation OK for your religion?

We posed to our panel of religious leaders of the region the following question:

Is cremation OK: The popularity of cremation, a dissolution process which reduces human remains to bone fragments, as a form of disposition of the deceased, is said to be growing. Reasons include lower cost, more options for memorial service, environmental concerns, avoiding use of land, simplicity, repulsion about body decay underground, avoiding visits to cemetery, suits the more mobile society, etc. How does your religion/denomination view cremation? Is cremation OK/acceptable/allowed/sanctioned/tolerated/mandated or forbidden/prohibited/discouraged? What scriptures say on how to treat the body of the deceased and what is the religious-doctrine/theological-perspective on this issue?

Here is what they have to say:

RESPECT FOR THE BODY

Stephen Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church priest

Because the Orthodox Christian faith affirms the fundamental goodness of creation, it understands the body to be an essential part of the human person. Scripture teaches that our "bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit." The fact that our Lord was buried and bodily resurrected is the reason we recommend a reverent burial of the physical body with a proper Church funeral and prayers for those who have fallen asleep in the Lord. We sing hymns and psalms to escort the dead on their way and express gratitude to God for their life and death. Burial also allows the natural physical process of decomposition to take place. In contrast, cremation is seen as the deliberate desecration and destruction of what God has made and ordained for us. For this reason, we do not serve funerals or memorial services for persons who have chosen to be cremated.

CREMATION PROHIBITED

Bradley S. Corbin, Bahá'í teacher

The body is the temple of the spirit, and though the spirit is no longer connected upon death, the body must be treated with respect. The composition, formation, growth and development of the physical body is gradual, so its decomposition and dispersal must be gradual. If the disintegration is rapid, the chain of transferences and discontinuity this creates will impair the universal relationships within the chain of created things. The human body has been created from the mineral, vegetable and animal worlds, and after its death will be changed into microscopic animal organisms. According to the divine order and the driving forces of nature, these creatures will have an effect on the life of the universe and will pass into other forms. If the body is cremated, it will pass immediately into the mineral kingdom and will not travel its natural journey through the chain of all created things.

NO BIBLICAL PREFERENCE

Stephen Bond, senior pastor of Summit Christian Church, Sparks

The Bible does not specifically address cremation. Because of this, some Christians choose to have their deceased bodies cremated and some are buried in a cemetery. There is no biblical guidance that favors either burial option.

However, the Bible has much to say about what happens after we die. The Apostle Paul teaches that when Christians are absent from the body we are present with the Lord. When Christians die, our soul goes directly into God's presence.

But we will not receive our resurrected body until Jesus Christ comes again. At the second coming of Christ, Christians receive a new body that is imperishable and incorruptible.

Thus, whether a Christian is buried in a cemetery or buried at sea or cremated or lost in a battle in some faraway land, when Jesus Christ returns, our soul will be supernaturally reunited with a body fit for eternity.

HONORING THE BODY

Sherif A. Elfass, Northern Nevada Muslim Community president

In Islam, humans are respected beings whether alive or dead. Allah says in the Quran, "We have honored sons of Adam" [17:70]. Meanwhile, prophet Muhammad said, "The way of honoring the deceased is to bury him." This means that cremation is something contrary to the teachings of Islam and thus it is not allowed. The body of humans was created from the clay of the earth, and to the earth it should return. When a Muslim dies, he/she should be properly washed, shrouded and buried according to the teachings of Islam. The funeral prayer on the deceased should be performed after the body is shrouded and before it is taken to the grave. Meanwhile, it is the obligation of the Muslim community to support and help the family of the deceased with washing, shrouding and burial, especially if they are unable to pay for the funeral cost.

AWAITING GLORIOUS RESURRECTION

Matthew Cunningham, Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno chancellor

Each person consists of both a mortal body and an immortal soul. We neither are pure spirits nor are we simply creatures of flesh. Death separates soul from body, but we believe that they will be reunited at the general resurrection. The Catholic funeral liturgy provides spiritual assistance to the deceased, honor for the body and the solace of hope to the living.

In the Catholic tradition, it has been the common practice for the body of the deceased to be brought to the church for the funeral liturgy and then taken for burial to a place where it will not be disturbed. The Catholic Church encourages this custom but does not forbid cremation. If cremation is chosen, it is expected that the ashes be placed in an urn and respectfully buried or placed in a niche, preferably in a cemetery. Even in death, the human body is to be respected.

CREMATION CULTURAL NORM

Jikai' Phil Bryan, Reno Buddhist Center priest and meditation guide

Cremation is a Buddhist cultural norm, mentioned in "scriptures," but not necessarily required. Various religious practices and timing of ceremonies have developed for honoring remains through division/scattering of ashes, burial or vault placement. Shakyamuni Buddha's cremated ashes were divided as honored relics. Cremation is viewed in many Buddhist cultures as assisting rebirth's continuity by dissolving bonds to the current body. Cremated remains are treated with highest respect in all Buddhist cultures, both for the sake of the departed and those who grieve. In some Buddhist societies, ashes are sifted by privileged family members for larger bone fragments to keep in home altars. Various lengths of time from days to years are prescribed for funerals, formal mourning and memorials. Continuity and connection are never lost in Buddhism. Honoring life and death through careful cremation, formal ceremonies and community grieving help us realize our infinite life and eternal connections.

FAMILY TO DECIDE

Nicholas F. Frey, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints area public affairs director

The Church does not normally encourage cremation, preferring burial because of its doctrinal symbolism. Nevertheless, "The family of the deceased must decide whether the body should be cremated, taking into account any laws governing burial or cremation," since the laws of some countries require cremation (Handbook). It ultimately makes no difference as to the disposal of the body, since in the resurrection every essential part will be restored to its proper frame. This hope engendered in Latter-day Saints by the Savior's triumph over death was reflected in a letter from Joseph Smith to the Church in 1842: "Now what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven: and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy." (D&C 128:19)

ALTERNATIVE TO RISING COSTS OF BURIAL

ElizaBeth W. Beyer, Temple Beth Or rabbi

From a Jewish perspective, cremation is prohibited by orthodox/halachic guidelines. The Sages typically state that a body must be buried immediately, and if it were not buried the same day, it is a transgression of a negative commandment. (Sanhedrin 6:5) This is based upon the Biblical passage indicating that a sinner condemned to the gallows must be buried on the same day he is hung. (Deut.21:23) The way a body dissolves following burial is considered an atoning process and also a method to avoid possible disgrace to the body itself. Burning was considered disrespectful. Under a handful of orthodox authorities, they find that putting lime on the body is considered a means of cremation in order to transport bones from one place to another. On the other hand, liberal denominations permit cremation as an alternative to burial for many reasons, including lower cost and environmental issues.

Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion coordinated by Rajan Zed. Post your comments to this story at RGJ.com. Next week's topic: Abortion, as viewed by religion.

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Faith Forum: Is cremation OK for your religion?

We posed to our panel of religious leaders of the region the following question: Is cremation OK: The popularity of cremation, a dissolution process which reduces human remains to bone fragments, as

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